Document processing devices are in widespread use in many businesses and academic settings. Such devices include copiers, scanners, printers and facsimile machines. Today, one or more functions associated with such devices are combined in a single unit, referred to as a multifunction peripheral (“MFP”) or multifunction device (“MFD”). MFPs are typically network connected to allow users to print remotely from their computers, scan documents that can be sent to a user's computer or a third party's computer (for example via email), copy documents, or fax documents to other people.
Efficient use of energy reduces operating costs. In MFPs, the main use of energy is in heating the toner fuser mechanism to a high enough temperature to melt the toner. The fuser is used to melt toner particles so that the toner adheres to a media substrate such as printer paper. In the normal or awake mode of an MFP, the fuser of the printer is kept warm so there is little to no waiting period from the time a print job is submitted to when the printer can begin printing.
In order to save energy, MFPs typically are configured to go into energy saving sleep or deep sleep modes if there no activity on the MFP within a threshold, or pre-determined, period of time. In these energy saving modes, the printers turn off the fuser heating element to reduce power consumption. MFP manufacturers typically set a unified default time period on MFPs which can be modified by a system administrator. However, system administrators often are not familiar with the usage of individual MFPs, the usage of which can vary based on the users who use each MFP. If the sleep timer is configured for too short of a period of time, it can inconvenience users who have to wait for an MFP to warm up before printing. If the sleep time is set for too long of a period of time, energy is unnecessarily wasted by the MFP.